Peloponnese seaside village: Stoupa Thrives

Some years back, my friend Michael, packed the rear of his little SUV with our duffels, and we left Athens in the dust. Quite a bit of dust was left behind. We were heading to Peloponnese or more specifically the Mani Peninsular of Greece. At that time, the traffic just to get to the Corinth Bridge to leave the “mainland” towards the southern point was thick. The route is southeast and lined with the empty oil tankers at anchor in the Aegean bays. Eventually we made the hard left to the routes south and on to the peninsular. Hello? No traffic here, all was left behind. Some of the highways were beautifully paved and so modern. Then the road narrowed and started the switch back and forth. It was an interesting drive, but tedious. Four and a half hours in the car is much!

Thanks to the Greek Summer Olympics and some World Bank EU funding, five years had rebuilt the route to a streamline breeze. I especially love the new tunnels, borne through the Mountain spine that runs in middle of the region, and the modern rest stops perched in the blue sky peaks. Two cities break up the drive along the way. One of them is Tripoli, the other is Sparti, of the “Spartan” fame; worth a discussion of its own. This city is a transition point from mountain travel to farmland plains for an hour before the Mani Peninsula and more mountains.

The Laconia Prefecture is dotted with villages along the southwestern coastline. From Sparti, I prefer the southern route on Number 39 to Aeropoli and then west towards The City of Kalamata. We all know calamata olives, yes? This whole area is an olive grove. A museum to olives is on Route 39 just 15 minutes out of Sparti. The blue grey sheen of the trees on the slopes is unmistaken on the landscape. The road is shared in the late summer months with RV Campers in caravan, building material trucks, farm equipment, and heavy CC motorcycles. Several kilometers may find no vehicles around. One and one half hours of driving through beautiful one lane wide hillside villages brings you down to the coast and Stoupa.

On the map Stoupa is not large. It holds two bays, where one is a perfect sandy beach. A breakwater and marina are to the east of this cove. There is a stone wall and sidewalk that lines the entire beach. Modest Aegean surf laps the shore of this clean sandy bottom. Tavernas line the town side of the street. Small hotels are back two streets from the town. Gift shops and art galleries are then sprinkled about in a “good way”. Stoupa is really laid back with a sedate proper English crowd. Swedes and German tourists have found the area. English is spoken regularly.

Seasonal Apartment rentals abound. The in-season rates in Euro run at 50 to 60 per night with continental morning breakfast. Travelers also rent flats by the week or month in the village or sloping hills near town. The Mani designed “castle” style town home is available at 600-900 euros per week for four to six beds. Realtors and agents are active. Lefktron Hotel is two blocks back from the beach with a small pool at 65- 100 euros per night and is the largest hotel with 32 rooms and reviews come in good. A new little restaurant named Ladi, greek for olive oil, was opened last year by a Brit and they have a great little menu.

Summing up: this relaxed coastal village offers a peaceful glimpse to a melting pot of happy travelers and a comfortable Greek alternative trek.